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Ampol AmpCharge network
- Thread starter moa999
- Start date
Because with a credit card POS terminal, you have to decide how much you're going to charge - or at least pre-authorise - before the customer taps. It's just not a good match for situations where you don't know exactly what you'll be charging until after the product has been delivered to the customer.
The RFID card is just an indirection to a credit card you leave on file with them, which gets around the issue.
Evie and Chargefox are both app based but also offer an RFID option which you can order and link to your account. They are useful if you lend your car to a family member / friend who don't have the app or an account configured, or just want to quickly tap and go without getting your phone out.
I have four RFID cards so far from various providers, and I keep them in the car console. I find it much, much easier using them compared to doing the App thing. Especially when the screens on the charging units are busted, which seems to be often.
Zoltrix77
Member
Good news, cheers.
Yes, I realise the RFID card is just an indirect link and works well, its just that you have to aquire one. It's something they should be able in this case to give you one in the store. Yes, I see your issue with the pre-auth. However, I think its probably a small risk that the customer doesn't have enough money in their account to cover the charge, so they could just risk it and see what the default rate is. How does this work with pay at the pump fuel?
Zoltrix77
Member
It seems to be a bigger deal for debit VISA/MC transactions that are linked to Savings Accounts. I personally use a credit card for everything for my own protection. If I really want to use it out of my savings account, I always push it as a "CHQ/SAV" EFTOPS transaction so that transaction is instantly finalised and your bank balance is correct.
Perhaps because if it pre-auths $50 each time and your car times out a couple of times before a successful charge kicks off, then your credit card or debit linked account is out a few hundred bucks for a few days until the pre-auths all lapse.
So reviewing the Plugshare entries to date.
33 posts or uses.
1 CHAdeMO.
32 CCS2 cars , at least 3 of which waited, or moved on instead.
Oh and the CHAdeMO was a Mitsubishi PHEV which is capped at 25kW anyway, so a waste at an ultrafast charger.
With multiple existing CHAdeMO chargers within a couple of km of this site, and only a single stall, seems crazy for ARENA to be insisting on CHAdeMO.
33 posts or uses.
1 CHAdeMO.
32 CCS2 cars , at least 3 of which waited, or moved on instead.
Oh and the CHAdeMO was a Mitsubishi PHEV which is capped at 25kW anyway, so a waste at an ultrafast charger.
With multiple existing CHAdeMO chargers within a couple of km of this site, and only a single stall, seems crazy for ARENA to be insisting on CHAdeMO.
At least the NSW Government with its programme isn’t. Although I suspect most sites will have it - at least 1 port. The operators of DCFC networks know exactly how much their CHAdeMO ports get used, and they would know that it’s not in their financial interest to, say, build a 4-stall site with a 50/50 split of CCS2 and CHAdeMO. Unless some government agency forces them to.
For charging units that can actually charge 2 vehicles at once, I expect that eventually the CHAdeMO cable could be replaced with a CCS2 one without too much difficulty? For charging units that can only do one vehicle at a time but have 2 cables, it doesn’t really matter, save for what could be argued is ‘sub-optimal’ utilisation when a CHAdeMO car turns up.
All ‘ultrafast’ 350 kW stations are CCS2 only so for them the question is moot.
I called into the Altona North (Victoria) site yesterday afternoon to see if there was any progress on the AmpCharge site there. I'm please to report that things are well advanced with conduit, cable and concrete installed for 2 chargers/4 parking bays. The chargers are on site and about to be installed in position. So it should be only a week or two away from being commissioned.
The location is also quite prominent, being on the main intersection corner of what is a fairly large suburban Ampol Foodary site. I'm not sure how much passing EV traffic it will get (several minutes bypass off the Princess Hwy to Geelong) but the nearby (free) 50kW charger at the Altona Civic Centre gets fairly heavy usage.
The location is also quite prominent, being on the main intersection corner of what is a fairly large suburban Ampol Foodary site. I'm not sure how much passing EV traffic it will get (several minutes bypass off the Princess Hwy to Geelong) but the nearby (free) 50kW charger at the Altona Civic Centre gets fairly heavy usage.
Many are dual. Though it's site dependent.
Eg. Evie Seven Hills and the new Evie Jamisontown are dual CCS2/ CHAdeMO..
Same with some Chargefox sites.
Eg. Shell Cove and Goulburn.
But of course paying the premium rates when the car can't get more than 50kW (can't think of any CHAdeMO cars that can go higher). Edit - appears the Leaf E+ (the 62kWh one) can reach up to 100kW
In other places Chargefox has rolled out a CCS/CHAdeMO 50kW charger alongside CCS2 only 350kW.
Eg. Zetland, Cooma, Gundagai
Arguably these 180kW Ampcharge chargers fit into the ultrafast category (and certainly seem they will be priced that way) so suspect they will get limited CHAdeMO usage.
Will be interesting to see the cables on the two machines at Altona North (can't tell much from zooming in on the pic)
Chuq
Active Member
I've driven a Leaf e+ and have received 72 kW on multiple occasions. Typically from about ~30% SOC. Might go faster if I had've got it down lower - I've heard 100 kW quoted.
